Who are Thunder's top surprise killers from each NBA playoff run? P.J. Washington in mix
DALLAS — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shook his head, holding onto every syllable of P.J. Washington’s name.
Maybe saying it aloud helped the unimaginable feel real.
Washington’s latest 3-point barrage Saturday afternoon was key in the Mavericks’ Game 3 win over the Thunder, which gave Dallas a 2-1 lead in the series.
Washington, arguably Dallas’ third-best player, scored 27 points. Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, the Thunder’s second-and third-best players, combined for 29 points.
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“He’s hooping,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “We’ve gotta turn that water off if we want to win the series.”
For whatever reason, something about the Thunder brings out the best in Washington.
“When he was in Charlotte, it felt like every shot went in,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
Washington was already a Thunder killer, but now he’s a Thunder playoff killer.
It made me think, what other under-the-radar players like Washington have given the Thunder problems in the playoffs?
Here’s one surprise Thunder killer from every run.
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Derek Fisher, Lakers (2009-10)
It’s still crazy that Oklahoma City’s first-ever playoff opponent was a Kobe Bryant-led Lakers squad that went on to win the NBA title.
Of course Bryant and Pau Gasol were the pillars of that team, but a 35-year-old Derek Fisher helped do the Thunder in.
Fisher, a 35% 3-point shooter that season, went 14-of-30 (47%) from behind the arc in that series, which the Lakers won in six.
Fisher later helped the Thunder win more than a few playoff games.
J.J. Barea, Mavericks (2010-11)
The 5-foot-10 Puerto Rican drove Thunder fans crazy.
Despite playing the seventh-most minutes for the Mavericks in the 2011 Western Conference Finals against the Thunder, Barea was Dallas’ fourth-leading scorer.
Barea averaged 11.4 points on 48% shooting. He went 6-of-13 from three. He had 15 assists against three turnovers.
Stephen Jackson, Spurs (2011-12)
Jackson was traded twice at the 2012 trade deadline. First from Milwaukee to Golden State, and then Golden State to San Antonio.
The 33-year-old Jackson, despite nearing the end of his career, gave the Spurs good minutes against the Thunder.
Jackson averaged 11.8 points in the series on otherworldly shooting splits: 66% from the field, 68% (17-of-25) from 3-point range and 89% from the foul line.
OKC overcame Jackson’s out-of-body series to advance to the NBA Finals.
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Patrick Beverley, Rockets (2012-13)
Beverley didn’t have a killer series, but he killed the Thunder’s chances of a long playoff run when he crashed into Russell Westbrook’s knee in Game 2 of a first-round series.
Westbrook missed the rest of the playoffs with a torn meniscus. The Thunder got by the Rockets before losing to the Grizzlies in the second round.
Danny Green, Spurs (2013-14)
Washington’s 3-point shooting could shift the series like Green’s did in 2014.
Green shot 20-of-37 (54%) from deep in the 2014 Western Conference Finals. Green was 7-of-10 from three in the Spurs’ 35-point win in Game 2.
San Antonio won the series in six.
Harrison Barnes, Warriors (2015-16)
Game 6 Klay, I know, but Klay Thompson is too good to qualify for this list.
Barnes is admittedly a reach, but he had a good series, shooting 48% overall, including 10-of-19 from three.
It was Barnes’ last year in The Bay before you-know-what happened.
Lou Williams, Rockets (2016-17)
His Rockets stint was brief, but Williams had himself a series against the Thunder.
He was Houston’s second-leading scorer, averaging 18.8 points on 48% shooting. Williams shot 41% from 3-point range and 88% from the foul line.
The Rockets won the first-round series in five. Williams scored 22 points off the bench in the closeout game.
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Joe Ingles, Jazz (2017-18)
The series when Ingles punked Paul George. What a bizarre beef.
Ingles played excellent defense against George, but the Aussie forward was even better offensively.
Ingles averaged 14.2 points on 44% shooting. He shot a whopping 47% (21-of-45) from 3-point range as the Jazz won the first-round series in six.
Al-Farouq Aminu, Trail Blazers (2018-19)
This first-round series, which Portland won in five, is known for two things: Damian Lillard’s iconic walk-off shot and Al-Farouq Aminu.
You don’t recall Aminu’s impact? Me neither, but the honorary killer title had to go to someone.
Aminu averaged 11 points and seven rebounds in the series while knocking down 41% of his 3-pointers.
Robert Covington, Rockets (2019-20)
The seven-game bubble series didn’t feel like real life.
But it happened, and Covington thrived against the Thunder. He averaged 13.3 points on 50% shooting while doing everything defensively — 2.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game.
The Thunder had 37 steals in the series. Covington had 17 by himself.
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Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com. Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Who are Thunder's biggest surprise killers from each NBA playoff run?
